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Health and other challenges for Lovina Eichler’s family

Vaseline

Lovina Eicher
| Guest columnist

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Today is already the last day of April. Four months of 2024 have passed. Where does the time go? One week after another passes by.

Today my husband, Joe, has an appointment with the doctor who performed his surgery last week. Joe is off work for a week because he got a splinter in his hand and a toothpick while at work. He went to the hospital after it happened, but they couldn’t find it on the x-ray. Joe stayed home from work for a few days because his hand hurt so bad and kept swelling. Normally Joe doesn’t complain much when he gets a splinter, but this time he was in a lot of pain.

He went back to the hospital on Thursday morning. I thought he would leave and come right back, but he was admitted to the hospital and they were preparing for surgery. He had a serious infection in his hand from the splinter. I went to the hospital to be there when he had surgery and stayed with him in the hospital overnight.

We arrived home late in the afternoon on Friday. The doctor wanted Joe to stay another night because they were concerned about his blood pressure and sugar levels. They had a heart monitor with them while we were there. Joe didn’t want to stay another night. He thought he would feel better when he got home. However, he should go to his doctor about this.

So our day went differently than planned. We planned to go to Norman and Katie Ann’s wedding. Our children went for the wedding meal. Son Joseph and special friend Grace served as evening servers at the wedding.

Make some family visits

On Friday, on the way home from the hospital, Joe and I stopped by my brother Albert’s house to see how he was doing. He has lost so much weight since his cancer diagnosis. He seemed cheerful and we had a nice visit with Albert and Sarah Irene. Albert and Joe worked together at the Metal and Truss Shop, so they were used to seeing each other every day.

Albert had an appointment with the doctor yesterday. They started doing more tests to see what should be done next. A hospice nurse visits every four days to take his vitals and change his colostomy bag.

Today we drop Sister Verena off at Albert’s house while we go to Joe’s appointment; Then after the appointment we go to Albert and pick up Verena.

Joe had the same doctor operate when son Benjamin had to remove the 3-inch nail. Hopefully no one else in the family will need his services.

We appreciate all the prayers for Albert and thank you for your continued prayers. May God help Albert accept what the future holds for him. We know that God’s ways are not always our ways. God makes no mistakes, but how we long for Albert to be healed. Let your will be done!

Albert’s son-in-law Amos is making progress. After a second opinion, his illness might not be cancer. We pray that he will continue to heal.

On Wednesday my daughters and I want to help with Sister Emma. Her son Benjamin and Crystal will be conducting church services in two weeks. I want to make a casserole to take with me for lunch. Benjamin lives on the same property as Emma.

I made three rhubarb custard pies last night. Also a chicken pot pie in a 9 by 13 pan that I made for Albert; I’ll have a cake too. Hopefully it helps a little. One of these rhubarb custard pies quickly disappeared during dinner last night because it was still warm.

It now takes more effort to bake something, because my oven at home broke down. I have an older stove in the pole barn that I can use, but you have to check every time to see if anything is being done, and it’s a lot of running back and forth. With Joe losing work, I’m not sure if we can get a new one before the wedding. Grocery costs have increased significantly since our last wedding. Take it one day at a time, let it go and let God do it. May he bless you all.

Rhubarb custard pie

1½ cup rhubarb (cut into small pieces)

2 tablespoons of flour

2 eggs

1 cup sugar

¾ cup cream or whole milk

1 cake pan (9 inches), unbaked

Place the rhubarb in the pie tin. Mix flour, eggs, sugar and cream or whole milk well and pour over the rhubarb. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, chef, wife and mother of eight. Her two cookbooks, The Essential Amish Cookbook and Amish Family Recipes, are available wherever books are sold. Readers may write to Eicher at Lovina’s Amish Kitchen, PO Box 234, Sturgis, MI 49091 (enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope for a response); or email [email protected] and your message will be passed along for her to read. She doesn’t respond to emails personally.

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